Almost six years have passed in the police shooting death of Ramarley Graham, but his mother, Constance Malcom, still fights for justice.
Last week, Malcom announced she filed a Freedom of Information lawsuit against the New York Police Department.
According to Malcolm, the policed department is withholding key information in the death of her son. However, NYPD cite section 50-a, a waiver of cops rights, in their decision to keep police disciplinary records secret. As well, they refute her claims saying that released information, harms the fairness of the ongoing investigation.
Seeking Accountability
Graham, an unarmed Bronx teen shot in front of his grandmother and little brother in 2012, was 18-years-old. Malcolm seeks accountability for all officers involved in the shooting, says her attorney in the Gideon Orion Oliver.
Sgt. Scott Morris and Officer John McLoughlin, two cops in the scene at the time Officer Richard Haste shot Graham in the chest, received disciplinary actions. Morris was given a 30-day suspension without pay before he retires with benefits. McLoughlin must forfeit 45 days paid vacation and is on probation for a year.
Malcolm feels the disciplinary action was too lenient. For the “safety of New Yorkers,” she wants them terminated. As well, Malcolm knows that there were more law enforcement present on the day of her son’s death, that must be held accountable.
Graham is one of a growing group of mothers who leads the fight for unlawful killing of their children. Sometimes, she is a lone wolf, but Malcolm carries a long, loud howl to continue to seek “adequate and appropriate” punishment involved in her son’s death.
